Teachers going back to school to gain experience of industry

The new Teacher Encounters programme will see schools working with 13 businesses to bring skills and workplace experience into the classroom.

Delivered by the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Careers & Enterprise Company, teachers will get half-day experiences to help them to develop a stronger knowledge of their subject area through real world industry experience.

The participating schools in our areas are St Lawrence School and Banovallum School in Horncastle, St Hugh’s School in Woodhall Spa, Somercotes Academy and St Bernard’s School in Louth, De Aston School in Market Rasen, Carre’s Grammar School in Sleaford, Sir William Robertson Academy in Welbourn, Haven High School in Boston, Wellspring Academies Trust, and William Farr School in Welton.

The Greater Lincolnshire businesses taking part are Branston, Catch UK, CITB, CorrBoard, eComOne, Inzpire Ltd, Orsted, Plum Products, Ruddocks, Seafox Management Consultants, Serco, SRC UK and Tong Engineering.

The Greater Lincolnshire project will begin on Tuesday (June 27), delivered by the LEP’s Careers Hub, and funded by local partners including Lincolnshire County Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, North Lincolnshire Council and Rutland County Council.

Lee Douglas, Strategic Hub Lead of the Careers Hub at the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “We have delivered the Teacher Encounters project in collaboration with award-winning businesses, world leaders in their sectors which are operating at the cutting edge of innovation and technology.

“It is crucial that teachers can have meaningful experiences with employers in Greater Lincolnshire. These experiences are designed to inspire teachers, enabling them to make vital links to their curriculum area of expertise and pass vital careers related information to their students.”

Oli de Botton, Chief Executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Teachers are powerful sources of careers inspiration for young people – through the conversations they have and the curriculum they teach.

“One of the ways we can support them is by bridging the worlds of business and education and giving teachers meaningful encounters with employers.

“Done well, these encounters can inspire teachers, students and employers. Teachers can see at first hand how local businesses work, including the routes in like apprenticeships. Students can benefit when teachers bring this insight into their lessons, linking learning to workplace skills. And employers can learn more about the workforce of the future.

“This pilot is an opportunity to bring careers education further into the mainstream of school and college life and build on the enthusiasm we know is there from business to better support schools and from teachers to support their students to take their best next step.”